Battery terminal connectors



Nov. 3, 1970 c. E. JUGGINS, 5 3

' BATTERY TERMINAL CONNECTORS I I Filed Aug. 20, 1968 3 mvs/vrbn 4 yrflfrzzesidizyyzbs A BY A r TORNE Y United States Patent U.S. Cl. 339-226 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A battery terminal connector of split resilient ring like formation having a pair of opposed jaws and an associated lever member provided with a stud fitting between the opposed jaws and being of such cross sectional formation that swinging movement of the lever spreads and holds the jaws open for fitting the connector to or removing it from a battery terminal post.

This invention relates to battery terminal connectors of the type which are devoid of a transverse clamping bolt and rely on the connector being of split resilient ring like formation to yieldingly retain it on an associated battery ost.

p Some known types of spring ring connectors employ exposed end portions of the spring ring as actuating members for opening the connector whilst being applied to or removed from a battery post, but it has been found that such end portions have been subject to early failure due to corrosion, particularly when servicing has been neglected. Furthermore, a separate tool was required for attaching the connector to or removing it from the battery terminal post.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved battery terminal connector of the kind indicated which does not employ the opposite end portions of the spring ring as actuating members and consequently avoids the possibility of corrosion preventing the connector from being opened when so desired. Furthermore, the improved connector does not require the use of a separate tool for applying the connector to or removing it from its terminal post.

In accordance with the present invention the improved battery terminal connector comprises a body portion having a pair of laterally projecting and spring influenced opposed jaws defining a gap connected with a main aperture in the body portion, said jaws having opposed faces which are of recessed formation, and an associated lever member having a depending stud fitting between the opposed faces of said jaws, the cross sectional formation of said stud being such that swinging movement of the lever member through a predetermined angle is adapted to spread and hold the jaws of the body portion in their maximum opened position for facilitating the application of the connector to a battery terminal post and removal therefrom as required.

Referring to the drawings which form part of this specification:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a body portion of the improved connector in accordance with one embodiment of the invention and with an associated lever member omitted for convenience of illustration;

FIG. 2 is a view looking at the right hand end of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a spring member for the body portion;

FIG. 4 is a view looking at the right hand end of FIG. 3;

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FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevation of a lever member adapted for use with the body portion;

FIG. 6 is an end view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an inverted plan view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a side elevation on a reduced scale of the assembled battery terminal connector; and

FIG. 9 is a plan view on a reduced scale of a connector body portion in accordance with a modification.

According to the present invention, the improved connector includes a body portion 2 composed of metal which is resistant to corrosion. This body portion is provided with a socket 3 and claws or any other suitable means for connecting it to the end of an electrical conductor 4.

The body portion has an open ended main aperture 6 therethrough which is adapted to tightly accommodate an associated tapered terminal post on a battery.

The body portion is also provided with a pair of laterally projecting spaced jaws 7 defining a gap 8 communicating with the central aperture so that the effective diameter of the aperture may be varied when the connector is applied to its terminal post so as to ensure a desirable tight fit therewith. The opposed faces 9 of the jaws may be of concave curvature so as to form an aperture of substantially elliptical shape in plan.

In order to impart the desired resilience to the split body portion, the latter is provided with a spring member 11. This member may be of part circular form in plan with laterally extending arms 12 each of which may be provided with a projecting finger 13. The latter are adapted to function to locate the spring member Whilst the body portion is being cast thereover, the arrangement being such that in the final product the part circular portion of the spring member extends around the aperture 6 of the body portion whilst the laterally extending arms 12 of the spring member are accommodated within the pair of spaced jaws 7 and completely enclosed therein with the exception of the locating fingers 13 which may initially project beyond the outer surfaces of the jaws. The projecting portions of these fingers may be removed in any suitable manner or if desired they may be simply left to corrode away whilst the device is in use.

Associated with the foregoing is a device for opening the spring jaws when it is desired to apply the connector to a terminal post or remove it therefrom in accordance with requirements.

This device includes a lever member 16 which may be of such predetermined length and width as to substantially cover the body portion of the terminal connector when not in use to open said jaws.

Located adjacent to one end of the lever member is a depending stud 17 which is adapted to be accommodated between the aforesaid jaws 7 and may have a cross section of substantially elliptical or any other suitable formation so that it may function as a cam to open the opposed jaws when the lever is swung sidewardly. In order to oppose unintentional removal of the stud from the jaws, it is preferably provided at its free end with a retaining flange 18 which may be appropriately tapered if so desired so as to facilitate its passage through the spring jaws when being fitted thereto.

The lever member is preferably provided with an up standing rib 19 extending for example, lengthwise of the lever so as to provide a convenient finger grip. In addition the lever member may be provided adjacent to that end remote from the rotatable stud with retaining means such for example, as a transverse web 21 which depends from the lever member and is provided at an intermediate point in its length with an appropriately shaped recess 22 adapted to fit over the aforesaid socket 3 or electrical conductor and prevent undesirable swinging movement of the lever member when it is not in use.

The lever member is composed of electrically nonconductive material such for example, as glass fibre filled polypropylene. One of these lever members 16 may be coloured red and the other black so as to ensure that the electrical conductors are correctly connected to the positive end negative terminals respectively on the battery.

In use, it will be appreciated that the spring jaws 7 of the improved connector may be conveniently opened simply by swinging the lever member 16 and thus partially rotating its stud 17 in relation to the opposed faces of the pair of jaws which of course has the effect of increasing the effective diameter of the aperture 6 sufiiciently to readily apply the connector to or remove it from its terminal post.

When the lever member is rotated about 90 from the centre line of the body portion, it will hold the connector in its maximum opened position so that the operator has both hands available to positively locate the connector on its battery terminal post before manipulating the lever member to the fully clamped position.

When not in use to open the jaws of the connector the lever member 16 overlies the top of the connector and battery post and serves as a cover which prevents short circuiting in the event that any electrically conductive material should accidentally contact the top of the battery.

Bearing in mind that the aforesaid stud 17 is adapted to function as a cam, it will be evident that it need not necessarily be of elliptical form in cross section and neither may the opposed faces of the jaws be of scbstantially the same shape. Obviously the shape of the stud and the jaw faces may be of angular or any other suitable formation, provided that sideward swinging movement of the lever functions to spread the jaws and temporarily hold them spread apart until the connector has been fitted to or removed from the battery terminal post.

It will be obvious that the invention is not limited to the conventional straight line type of connector seen in the embodiment as shown in FIG. 1. For example, the body portion 2 of the connector may, if desired, have its anchorage socket 3 carried by and extending sidewardly in relation to one of the jaws 7 as seen in FIG. 9. In this case greater resilience is imparted to the body portion which consequently is of part circular formation.

Various minor alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the foregoing without departing from the ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A battery terminal connector comprising a body portion having a pair of laterally projecting and springinfiuenced opposed jaws defining a gap connected with a main aperture in the body portion, said jaws having opposed faces which are of recessed formation, and an associated lever member having a depending stud fitting between the opposed faces of said jaws and means for yieldingly retaining said lever member in a position overlying said main aperture when not in use to spread said jaws, the cross-sectional formation of said stud being such that swinging movement of the lever member through a predetermined angle is adapted to spread and hold said jaws of the body portion in their maximum open position for facilitating the application of the connector to a battery terminal post and removal therefrom as required.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein said retaining means consists of a transverse web located adjacent to and depending from that end of the lever member remote from said stud, which web is provided at an intermediate point in its length with a recess adapted to fit over a socket on the end of the body portion or an electrical connector connected thereto, so as to oppose undesirable swinging movement of the lever member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,596,891 8/1926 Rensch 339-229 1,861,451 6/1932 Park 339-226 2,697,819 12/1954 Sundling 339--227 2,962,689 11/1960 Johnson et al 339 3,116,100 12/1963 Hunter 339226 3,339,173 8/1967 Kiene 339-226 FOREIGN PATENTS 757,413 10/1933 France.

MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner H. MCGLYNN, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 339--228 

